Retailers largely rely upon active demonstrations to present electronic consumer products and, particularly, audio and video entertainment products to customers. Such active demonstrations allow the customers to explore product features, directly compare products and match customer needs and desires with the available products. Accordingly, active demonstrations are very effective in facilitating sales of consumer electronic products.
Presently, there are two standard types of product demonstration switchers. The first is the master control panel type. This type of switcher has displays and controls on a single, localized panel and is best suited for demonstration by a sales person. The displays on this type of product demonstration switcher typically include the current product selections and the system configuration, that is, how current selections are interconnected. The displays may also include prices and product installation information.
The controls of the master control panel type of product demonstration switcher allow one to select particular products for demonstration. Additionally, the controls typically allow individual product comparisons as well as system or group product comparisons. An input means is often provided for entering product brands, model numbers, prices, installation information, etc. into the system. In advanced systems, provision may also be made for the transfer of information to the store point-of-sale system or electronic cash register for use in transacting any sale. The major drawback to this type of demonstration switcher is that it is not amenable to direct operation by customers without supervision from sales personnel. Many customers find this limitation inconvenient and annoying. Some may even choose to do their shopping at competing retailers that have a demonstration switcher more adapted to their direct control (e.g. a button-per-product type demonstration switcher; see below).
The second type of demonstration switcher may be called the "button-per-product" type. Demonstration switchers of this type are better understood and adapted for self-service by customers. A typical system includes a pushbutton selector and an indicator light next to each product. Illumination of the light indicates that that particular product is presently selected and being demonstrated.
Conventional button-per-product type switchers have certain advantages to the retailer over the master control panel type switchers. More particularly, the capacity of button-per-product type switchers may be exactly tailored to the size of the display and the type of merchandise being sold. The system may be expanded at will in small increments so as to minimize capital investment, yet allow the necessary flexibility for the retailer to increase its product lines. Further, customers are encouraged to help themselves, thereby placing less burden upon the sales staff. Additionally, since there is no central control panel, little dedicated space is required and, accordingly, more product display space is available.
Conventional button-per-product type switchers do, however, suffer some disadvantages. They are not as powerful as master control panel type switchers. This leads to significant shortcomings in this type of switcher system. More particularly, conventional button-per-product type switchers cannot preselect systems or products. They also cannot preselect two products to allow instantaneous or A/B comparison. This can be particularly frustrating for a consumer ready to make a significant investment in electronic products but having difficulty choosing between the products.
Further disadvantages of conventional button-per-product type switchers include an inability to communicate with external databases or displays. Further, in large displays, there is no convenient access to distant products. Often the customer wishes to compare products that are out of reach and may, in fact, be across a listening room. Button-per-product type switchers also do not allow wireless remote control.
From a review of the above, it should be appreciated that neither conventional master control panel type switchers nor conventional button-per-product type switchers provide all the answers to the various needs of the retailer selling electronic products. The master control panel type switcher has certain advantages not characteristic of button-per-product switchers and vice versa. A need is therefore identified for a switching network marrying the desirable and essential characteristics of master control panel and button-per-product type switchers so as to better meet the needs of the retailers.